How much extra weight needed?

[massey collector]

How much extra weight on a box blade to get the rippers into 4 inches of frozen grassy soil?

Al

 

[nybirdman]

Looks like a "wait till spring job".More likely to break something in that frozen ground.

 

[Gary Fowler]

It doesn't look frozen to me so not much weight needed. I used to strap a bunch of 2" thick x12"x 18" pavers on my box blade to make it dig.
If the ground is truly frozen, you cant put enough weight on it to make it dig. I have seen large trackhoes that couldn't dig in frozen ground. It is about as hard a concrete when hard frozen.

 

[Citydude]

I put three 55# suitcase weights on my box blade and ripped out a rock ledge on my road. I've never tried it on frozen ground though.

 

[ruffdog]

Frozen ground aint that bad....neighbor uses his D9 Cat with a single rear ripper to tear right through it.

Seriously though, 4" of frozen dirt is a tough one. Maybe a ton on the box blade and 200 HP tractor?

 

[jeff9366]

Looks like a "wait till spring job". Likely to break something in frozen ground.

Box Blade scarifiers are broad and generally angled at 45 degrees. This combination transfers a lot of stress to the Box Blade and to your tractor's Three Point Hitch.

Implements meant to rip ground generally have parabolic shaped tines, orienting the part of the tine leading the implement through ground parallel to the ground surface. Much less draft force resistance.

 

[CMV]

IF you need to add a lot weight just to get the teeth to penetrate, won't they just anchor the tractor once they do?

I'd use fewer teeth vs extra weight or start shallow & multiple passes from different angles dropping the teeth a notch lower doing it in layers.

No idea what your root & rock situation is, but if you have really good traction in a spot and don't get anchored, it's easy to break the shovels on the teeth fully extended. All mine are chipped/sheared at various angles from that. Not the end of the world, but something to watch for.

 

[countrybumpkin]

More than likely you will end up breaking stuff, most equipment like that can not take the added stress from the extra weight and forces that it will apply, because they are not built heavy enough to start with.

 

[deezler]

If those are current pics, then you live in the southern half of Michigan like I do. The ground *just* froze like, what, 4 days ago? You sure it's 4" thick frost already?

Did you even try it yet?

Wait till spring is a good answer, regardless. But I have another question - why? Why ruin that nice grassy trail? you must have a cool project in mind and are just too eager to wait, huh?

 

[massey collector]

Yes I am in south east Michigan. I have been driving steel T post by hand since Sunday and have about another 50 at least to do.
I am getting in to the brush area now it is a mix but mostly Autum Olive, easy on most to raise the bucket half way and push them over part way then back off and get the roots.

Near the road done in Oct before the survey.

Survey last Wednesday has me to the right of this by about 10'.

I was pushing over some small bushes this morning and the bucket was digging in so may the frost isn't all that deep yet.
Need to do some thing before Sunday as they are perdicting a high of 17F.


By the way thank you every one who replied.
I took more pictures this morning. I am wanting to smooth out that grassy strip plant it to a food plot for a bit then have a trail I can run the Bouta down and not shake my teeth out.


Al

 

[oosik]

If your ground is frozen - wait until spring. Two things could easily happen. If you are lucky - the tines will dig in - the tractor will come to an immediate stop - all four wheels will start spinning. If you are unlucky - the tines will dig in - you will hear an immediate "sproing" - something just broke.

 

[deezler]

Yep Al, that's exactly how I get my Russian olive and buckthorn out also. Push 'em over, then back up a smidge and grab the roots you just exposed. A tooth bar helps this (and all other forms of digging).

All you guys postulating that something is gonna break are acting like you never hit a surprise root or rock with a box blade before. I must have jerked my tractor to a sudden dead stop at least a couple dozen times when putting in my trails and driveway. But, I guess that was summer and stuff does break easier when it's real cold out.

 

[CMV]

Yep Al, that's exactly how I get my Russian olive and buckthorn out also. Push 'em over, then back up a smidge and grab the roots you just exposed. A tooth bar helps this (and all other forms of digging).

All you guys postulating that something is gonna break are acting like you never hit a surprise root or rock with a box blade before. I must have jerked my tractor to a sudden dead stop at least a couple dozen times when putting in my trails and driveway. But, I guess that was summer and stuff does break easier when it's real cold out.

It's when the tractor doesn't get anchored to a dead stop that something breaks.....

Can't tell from pic if it's a 2501 or 4701, but can guarantee if it's a 3901 or 4701, in 4wd with those AGs, scarifiers fully down, that TSC BB stands a good chance of being what gets broken. My Bush Hog SBX72 is a little heavier than the County Line I had previously and I have no problem shearing the teeth

Yeah, it's a tool, use it. It will eventually break - if nothing else will eventually rust away..... I'm not saying don't do the work....just go about it in a way less likely to break stuff.

 

[massey collector]

Tjhe Bota is a L3301, is a stick not hydro. I would not put the teeth a;; the way down on the first pass. I would dpo a couple at the highest setting but digging in then slowly work the teeth longer.

Four legged straw bosses. Not ours I would have a hay burner. Rather a few steers I like beef better than horse meat.

Just a tad and right of the pines about 75 feet to the next flag stake.

Al

 

[Overtaxed]

That's not a really big/heavy box blade. I agree with others, I'd wait till spring. If I couldn't, I'd take small passes, the weak link there is very likely to be the BB rather than the tractor. Go REAL slow if you add weight and try not to stick it too deep. I know, all common sense, right?

 

[Egon]

If it is frozen wait till spring. Frozen ground requires heavy duty equipment. Your blade will not dig in. You have to rip the ground first. You would probably be down to one or maybe two shanks on your backblade. If it is really six inches of frost once you get a shank down either something breaks or you lose traction.

[video]https://www.google.ca/search?q=cat+ripper+shank&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-ca&client=safari#imgrc=QI0k6sUs4VpBEM:[/video]
[video]http://www.ripcorippers.com/[/video]

Some cat shanks for rippers.

 

[Deere Dude]

I put a weight bar from a weight lifting set across the rear and slid all the weight I could find on it. I must have added 300# or so but it worked great for digging in.

Just take it easy pulling at first to see if it digs in. I dropped my diggers all the way down and tilted the BB ahead for a better plowing effect. I never tried it on ice though but be cautious.

 

[Jaylegger]

You're the only one who can figure this out. Drop one shank at time, if that digs then drop another and so on until it bounces over the surface. You know the weight of the boxblade and from that can determine how much weight per shank you need to penetrate the soil. With luck it will become a traction issue before it becomes a boxblade destruction issue.

I see Egon already adequately covered this, I'll leave my post anyway.